Unconditional
by Lounging Bunny
Summary: Love me without restriction, trust me without fear, want me without demand, accept me for who I am. (set after Jason leaves the first time in 2000.)
1. (1)

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**(1)**

_~ . ~  
Love me without restriction, _  
_Trust me without fear, _  
_Want me without demand, _  
_Accept me for who I am."  
_~.~

The winter cold surrounds her as she makes her way to across the Elm Street Pier on her way to her shift at the local diner. Its been more than a few days since Jason has chosen to leave town and no one is more surprised than her that she has yet to fall apart. When Lucky died, her whole world came to a stop, she didn't know how she would live without him.

Though she knows Jason's out there in the world and he had profusely denied it before he left, she still feels like she has lost him and that made her want to hide away in her studio for the foreseeable future. Doing that, however, wouldn't do justice to the friendship they shared. She owes it to both Jason and Lucky to move on with her life and continue to build herself up, regardless of losing both of them.

Pulling the jacket tightly around her, Elizabeth could sense his presence as her shadow steps out from the alley, following her as she steps onto the main street in the direction of the diner. Since Jason has left town, Johnny O'Brien has become a somewhat permanent fixture in her life.

She knows its Jason's way of keeping her safe from Sorel and, for that reason alone, she has accepted the man who has become her shadow, but it still didn't stop her from feeling bad. Especially with the cold weather that has fallen upon the town. In order to keep her safe, he has to remain outside while she's toasty warm inside the diner, making her feel more than a little guilty.

Punching in once she arrives at the diner, Elizabeth quickly gets to work on clearing tables and assisting the other waitresses when needed. On days like today, where there are more than three waitress scattered about, Elizabeth's only duties are to assist when assistance is needed. She had tried to argue the point, but agreed with Ruby none the less. She is the boss after all.

"Here." she says softly to the man standing vigil outside the diner as she hands him a hot cup of coffee. It took a phone call to Sonny to find out how he likes his coffee, but she didn't mind, it was the least she could do.

"You don't have to do this." Johnny replies when she turns down payment for the beverage. "I'm just doing my job."

"I know." she says simply. "Enjoy your coffee."

"Ms. Webber." he tries to stop her, taking hold of the hook of her arm when she's about to walk through the door. "Elizabeth."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." she says with a soft smile. "Give me a nod when you need a refill, okay?"

With a nod, he releases his hold on her, watching as she makes her way back into the diner. Having a charge care about his well being isn't something he's used to. Normally he'd just stand guard for as long as he's ordered to before switching off with the next guard and heading home.

Taking a sip of his coffee, surprised to find that its exactly how he likes it, Johnny lets out a deep sigh, realizing that this isn't going to be like any other guard detail he's ever been assigned to. As he drinks his coffee, he begins to realize that he just might actually start to care about the person he's guarding rather than feeling indifferent.

The night progresses relatively uneventful, something Elizabeth was thankful for, rather preferring her nights to be just like this one. As her lunch hour grows closer, Elizabeth puts in her order with the cook before requesting Johnny's usual, knowing he's bound to have one. If you've lived in Port Charles long enough, its pretty much guaranteed that you have a usual at the diner, its just how it is.

She won't be having lunch with him, of course, knowing that he'd prefer it if she kept her time outside to a minimum, but she will send his food out to him with one of the waitresses. Regardless of what he or Sonny says, she feels the need to do as much as she can for the men that guard her, knowing that they are pretty much the difference between something happening to her or not. She knows its not her fault that Sorel is coming after her, but it didn't mean that she couldn't be grateful to the men risking their lives to protect her.

"Francis will be here soon." Johnny informs her when they finally make their way back to her studio. "I'll be back to relieve him around midnight."

"Okay." she says with a shake of her head. "Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me." he says with a slight smile before pushing open her door for her. "I hope you know that."

"You're protecting me, Johnny." she says simply. "I get to be grateful if I want."

"Don't forget to lock the door." he says after a brief moment. "The deadbolt, as well."

Waiting long enough for her to walk inside, Johnny shuts the door firmly behind her, listening intently for the sound of the locks sliding into place. Once he hears the familiar clicks of the locks, he allows himself to breathe a breath of relief, thankful that his charge is willing to listen to him, something else he wasn't familiar with. If he were still on Carly's detail, he'd have to lock the damn things himself, as if he didn't have enough things to worry about when guarding her. It didn't take much longer for Francis to arrive to relieve him.

"Get some rest." Francis tells his friend once he's updated on the happenings of the day. "You look like you could use it."

"I'll be back at midnight." Johnny says simply. "If she needs anything before then, you've got my number."

There was something in his demeanor that had Francis more than a little curious, but not curious enough to speak on it just yet. Leaving things be, he assures his friend that he'll call before watching him walk down the hall and out of sight. Executing the usual knock, letting Elizabeth know that it was him on the other side of the door, Francis settles into his position by the door, keeping his senses sharp just in case.

While he stands vigil by her door, Elizabeth pops the lid off her paint can before getting started on a new painting, hoping to get lost in her art long enough to escape the thoughts running through her mind. Emily and Nikolas have both accused her of hiding away from them ever since they both accused her of sleeping with Jason, but she couldn't care at this point. Even though that's not the reason why she's keeping her distance, the fact of the matter is that she is keeping her distance from them.

As hard as it was to learn, she now knows that her friendships with them just didn't make any sense anymore. It was as if her relationship with Lucky had created an instant friendship between them and, once he was gone, it now didn't make as much sense as it used to. She doesn't want to hurt them, but she just can't see herself being friends with them either. With a deep sigh, she dips her paintbrush into the paint before focusing on her painting, allowing the rest of the world to just melt away and fade into the background of her mind.

Before she knows it, the clock on the wall chimes twelve times, marking the end of yet another day. Midnight. Dropping her brush into the rusty tin can, Elizabeth takes off her art apron, slinging it across her stool before washing the paint from her hands. Listening intently, she hears the familiar knock on the other side of the door, signalling that Johnny was now on the other side of the door again. With a slight smile upon her lips, Elizabeth grabs the afghan from the back of the couch before getting comfortable upon the cushions, hoping for a dreamless sleep tonight.

"Good morning, Johnny." she greets him the next morning once she's ready to head to work.

"Good morning." he replies before holding out a cup to her. "Hot chocolate."

"How did you know?" she says as she takes the cup into her hands. "Sonny?"

"No. I pay attention." he says with a soft smile before gesturing for her to go first. "Don't want to be late."

"Right." she says with a shake of her head. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." he replies, knowing it was pointless to say that her thanks isn't necessary.

The day goes by much like the day before, only this time the two have gained an understanding that things would be different between them from here on out. As hard as it was for either of them to process, they have stepped into a friendship that neither could really deny and that both could pretty much use at this point in their lives.

Johnny wasn't one to make friends so easily, mostly because of the line of work that he has, but he can only hope that he can keep a friend in Elizabeth because she seems like the kind of friend worth having. A sentiment that Elizabeth believes about him, as well. Lord knows she could use a few good friends these days.


	2. (2)

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**(2)**

_~ . ~  
Love me without restriction, _  
_Trust me without fear, _  
_Want me without demand, _  
_Accept me for who I am."  
_~.~

The docks should be the last place that she spends her day off, having been confronted by Sorel in that very place, but she couldn't help it. As much as she wants to stay safe from the danger he poses, Elizabeth refuses to let the fear rule her life. She did it after she was raped and she had promised herself that she would never live in the fear again.

She would never let her life come to a complete stop because of a danger she had no control over. She won't linger for long, though, knowing it was a security nightmare for her guards, but she will take the moment to just be, needing it as much as she wants it. Just a moment to breathe and remember that her life will regain some sense of balance once Sorel is dealt with.

The more she thought about the situation with Sorel, the more she wonders if Jason didn't make a mistake by leaving, if she would be safer if he were here rather than somewhere else in the world. She knows its pointless to wonder, he's still gone and he wasn't coming back, but she couldn't help that as well. With everything going on right now, she can't help but wish he were here to help simply this crazy situation her life has come to, if nothing else.

"Elizabeth." Johnny's voice pulls her out her thoughts, causing a soft smile to touch her lips. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." she assures. "Why?"

"You're crying." he points out, gesturing to the tears falling from her eyes. "You sure everything's okay?"

"I didn't even notice." she says as she wipes away the tears from her face before rising to her feet. "I'm okay, really."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Johnny questions, knowing that women like her don't just cry for no reason, that there had to be something bothering her for tears to fall from her eyes.

"I don't want to distract you." she says with a shake of her head. "I know its important for you to focus..."

"Francis is here." Johnny assures as he guides her back to the bench. "I have time to talk."

"I was just thinking that maybe it would have been safer if Jason hadn't left." Elizabeth explains as they sit together on the bench. "I mean, Sorel's going to do whatever he wants regardless of him being here or not, anyway. How much safer is everyone really with him out of town instead of here?"

"I agree that it would be better for us if he were here." Johnny agrees. "But it wouldn't be better for him."

"I know." she sighs. "I just wish that I knew what happened. I wish I knew why he decided to just up and leave, you know?"

"The reasons why Jason left is his own business. I'm sure if he felt like he could stay, he would have." Johnny says simply, not wanting to be crude, but needing her to see that it was all on Jason. It was his choice and he had to make it. "Can I give you some advice?"

"Sure." she says without hesitation.

"Instead of thinking about how safer it would be if Jason were here, why don't you take steps to make it safer yourself." Johnny suggests. "If you want, I can train you to defend yourself."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course." Johnny says like it wasn't even a question. "Francis and I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, but we're not perfect. There's still a real chance that someone can get to you and it would put my mind at ease to know that you are able to protect yourself until we can get to you."

"I have always wanted to take defense classes." Elizabeth admits. "I just never had the time."

"Maybe its time to make the time." Johnny suggests. "If we do this right, we can definitely work it around your schedule, but I have to warn you that I'm not going to take it easy on you. In order for the defense training to actually have any affect, you need to be put in similar situations to those that you'll face. With that being said, I need you to remember that I'm you're friend and trust that I will not hurt you."

"I trust you, Johnny." Elizabeth says as she reaches for his hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "I can do this. I know I can."

"I know you can, too." he says wholeheartedly, giving her hand a squeeze before removing his hand from hers. "I'll be back an hour before I have to relieve Francis. We'll get started then."

"Okay."

"While I'm gone, I want you to consider firearm training, as well." Johnny says as he rises to his feet. "I know you have an aversion to guns, but sometimes its literally the difference between you making it out of a situation dead or alive."

"I'll think about it." Elizabeth replies, unable to give him a better answer than that at the moment.

"Okay." Johnny says simply. "I'll see you later then."

Watching him walk up the stairs, Elizabeth can't help but wonder what defense training will be like with Johnny. The more she thought about it, though, the more nervous she became, realizing just what he had meant by not taking it easy on her.

Obviously in order to learn defensive techniques, he'll have to touch her, hold her down and use his full weight to keep her under control, but it only dawned on her now what that would mean. As much as she wants to believe she's past it, she knows that its bound to affect her training with Johnny and that had her more than a little worried.

Taking a deep breath in, she forces herself to reclaim her strength, refusing to let what happened control her. It was a terrible, horrific, thing, but its over and she has to remember that. She just has to keep Johnny's words in mind and remember that he's her friend. That he will not hurt her. As long as she keeps that in mind, she should be just fine.

While she heads upstairs to get her studio ready for her first lesson in self defense, Johnny's making his way into Harborview Towers to give his boss an update on Elizabeth's detail, as well as the plans they have made to teach her how to defend herself. As he explains it to Sonny, he can see that his boss was more than a little pensive, but when he questioned Sonny, his boss wouldn't elaborate on the reason behind the look.

"Just pay attention to her limit." Sonny says simply as he pours himself a glass of scotch. "Don't push her too hard."

"With all due respect, boss, is there something I should know?" Johnny questions him. "The last thing I want to do is hurt her. If there's something I need to know, please tell me."

"Its not my place to speak of it." Sonny faces him firmly. "Just be careful and make sure that you don't end up breaking her while you're trying to protect her."

"Okay." Johnny says after a moment. "If that's all you need, boss, I'm going to get some rest before I head back over."

"Go ahead." Sonny waves him away. "Just keep me updated on your progress, as well."

"Of course."

Leaving his boss's penthouse, Johnny makes his way down a couple floors to his apartment, letting himself in and making his way into his bedroom. He'll get a few hours of sleep before he gets up to put together his first session with Elizabeth. As he falls onto his bed, sleep slowly overcoming him, Johnny can't help but think on Sonny's words. Was this still a good idea? Obviously he would love it if she were able to protect herself, but he would never want to do anything to cause her harm, physical or otherwise.

"Johnny." Francis greets him when he shows up at the studio ready to get started with his defense training.

"Francis."

Knocking and waiting to be allowed entrance, Johnny makes his way into the studio before shutting the door behind him and locking the door. As he waits by the door, Elizabeth clears up her paints and brushes before washing her hands in the sink and making her way over to where he's standing. On her face she had the most beautifully addictive smile that elicited one from him. The last thing he wanted to do was erase that smile from her face, but he had to have all the facts before they start.

Leading her over to the couch, he does his best to broach the topic as gently as he can manage, completely floored when she opens up to him about what happened to her. Of all the things that he had imagined would be the reason behind Sonny's pensiveness, he never would have thought this was the reason.

Both anger and sadness floods him as he listens to her speak, hating that she had to suffer through that at such a young age. As illogical as it was, he can't help but wish he had been a part of her life back then, if only to prevent her from being hurt in such a horrific way.

"Please don't let that change your mind about training me." Elizabeth says after a long moment of silence falls over them. "I can handle it. Please say you believe me."

"I believe you." he says after a moment. "And I will train you on one condition."

"Name it."

"You tell me when it becomes too much for you." Johnny says seriously. "I won't take it easy on you, but I need you promise me that you'll tell me to back off when you reach your limit, okay? We'll take a break and then come at it again once you're able to."

"I promise."

"Okay." he says, taking a deep breath before rising to his feet. "Lets get started."

Johnny takes her over the basics, needing her to gain an understanding for what he's about to teach her before they get into the different moves and techniques. Once he's certain that she's ready for that, they'll move their training into Sonny's gym, but for now the studio will do. After the hour's up, Johnny tells her that they'll pick it up where they left off tomorrow. For now, he wants her to just stretch her muscles and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will bring with it more extensive basic moves and she'll need her energy up for them.

"Goodnight, Johnny." she says as he's about to walk out the door. "And thank you."

"Goodnight, Elizabeth."

**Note:** _Thank you, Mona, for your review. There aren't many Johnny O./Elizabeth stories out there, but I have fallen in love with the idea of the two finding something with each other. I hope you continue to read and review. Feel free to comment what you'd like to see in the story, if you'd like. As for everyone else that has followed/favorite my story, please let me know what you think. It would go a long way as far as writing the story goes. Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope to hear from you._


	3. (3)

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**(3)**

_~ . ~  
Love me without restriction, _  
_Trust me without fear, _  
_Want me without demand, _  
_Accept me for who I am."  
_~.~

Its been nearly two weeks since she's started training with Johnny and she finds that its a lot harder than she had thought it would be. As much as she tries to remember that Johnny's her friend and that he'd never hurt her, the fear still creeps up on her when she least expects it.

She's been able to hide it from Johnny so far, playing it off as not knowing how to do the moves, but it won't last for long, she knows that. Johnny is one of the most observant people she knows, something that comes from his chosen occupation, and he'll end up seeing it before long.

Letting out a deep sigh, she makes her way into the diner, needing to keep her mind off it for a while, hoping that she'll be able to handle it a lot better once she clears her mind. Typing her apron on, Elizabeth gets started refilling coffee cups while taking follow up orders for the customers that have already been served. Thankful for the mundane now more than ever.

~ . ~

Francis could see the changes happening between Johnny and Elizabeth, regardless of how much his friend wants to deny it, and that made him more than a little nervous about the whole situation. Normally, it would take a whole lot to make a man like him worrisome, given his choice in occupation, but this situation has suddenly taken on a life of its own that it has begun to send chills down his spine.

Though not many know the true nature of Jason's feelings for the young woman, he has been taken into his friend's confidence in regard to the young woman and he knows that its only a matter of time before his friend makes his way back to town.

A part of him wants to warn Jason that the two are close to crossing a line that isn't easily undone, but he knows that it wouldn't be right. Johnny is as much a friend to him as Jason is, if not more, and he doesn't have the right to speak on matters that don't pertain to him. He can only hope his friend returns before the line becomes nothing but a faded thing of the past.

"Everything's fine here." Francis informs Jason as he settles down with a bottle of beer. "No signs of trouble just yet."

"Okay." he replies in a flat tone. "I'll check in again in a couple weeks."

"Understood."

Ending the call, Francis tosses the phone onto the table before relaxing into his couch, hoping agxainst hope that this won't end as badly as he thinks it will. He knows that both Sonny and Carly believe that Jason leaving has something to do with their affair and they're partly right.

The major role in Jason leaving was that he wasn't sure about what he felt for the young artist or if he had any right to feel anything for her. Jason knew her while she was with Lucky and after the young man died. Like all relationships in this crazy town, this was one complication that Francis was thankful to not have any part in.

~ . ~

Watching her fluttering around within the diner, he can't help the smile that touches his lips whenever she glances in his direction and smiles that beautifully addictive smile of hers. Johnny has done his best to ignore the signs during their training sessions, knowing she isn't ready for him to see her vulnerable, but its becoming hard to not notice. Every time she flinches or tenses up, he could swear that his heart broke a little each time. He won't take it easy on her, knowing it would do neither of them any good, but it didn't stop him from feeling the guilt of putting her through this.

They have another session after her shift and, even though he doesn't want to, he's going to have to talk to her about their conditions one more time. He has to be able to break through that fear in order to help her truly be secure in her safety. To accomplish that, she has to be open to learning to protect herself if she's ever going to learn how to. Knowing what she's been through and how far she's come from the girl that she had described to him, Johnny knows she's capable of overcoming this fear and learning what she needs to. The trick now was to find a way for her to believe it too.

~ . ~

Ever since Elizabeth has pushed them away, she has spent more time with Nikolas than she has ever spent with him alone. She knows that its thanks in most part to the fact that both Elizabeth and Lucky are not in their lives, but she can't help but hope that maybe he also enjoys being alone with her as much as she enjoys being alone with him. Letting out a deep sigh, she reminds herself that her own feelings are not the important factor here. Priorities, she reminds herself, gotta remember her priorities.

"Are you sure its best to keep her out of the loop?" Emily asks Nikolas as they prepare to meet with Luke and Laura. "Maybe if she knew, Elizabeth would be more inclined to forgiving us for assuming she was sleeping with my brother."

"And what if he's not really alive?" Nikolas reminds her. "As much as I want Elizabeth back, I refuse to put her through that kind of pain. Losing Lucky had completely devastated her. I will not put her through that again. Until we know for sure that he's still alive, she will have no part in this. Its just how it has to be."

"And what if she finds out that we kept this from her?" Emily counters. "Do you think she'll be in a forgiving mood if she finds out that we had hope that Lucky was alive and kept it from her?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Nikolas says plainly. "I know its hard, Emily, but its best this way. Just until we find out for sure."

"Okay." she accepts, knowing that he was probably right, he usually always is. "Forget I brought it up."

"Come on." Nikolas says as he hands over her jacket. "We should get to my mom's house."

She could tell that it was eating at Nikolas to not bring Elizabeth in on this, but she also knows that he's right. It wasn't fair to give Elizabeth hope only to have to squash it if it turns out that Lucky's not really alive. So, swallowing her guilt, Emily follows him out of the estate and down to the launch, needing to meet up with Luke and Laura before they head out to find Lucky. A part of her wondered if she'd rather be oblivious, like Elizabeth, not wanting her own hope to be squashed either.

Looking over at Nikolas, that thought quickly gets erased, knowing she wouldn't want it any other way. Nikolas needed her to know. He needed her to share in the burden of keeping the secret and she has accepted the weight of that. Whether they find Lucky alive or dead, she'll carry that because that's what friends do.

~ . ~

Letting themselves into the studio once Francis is stationed outside the door, Elizabeth could tell that Johnny was gearing up for another talk with her, just by the look in his eyes as he stands in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she gestures to the couch before sitting down once he agrees. She waits patiently as he gathers his thoughts, knowing he had to be the first one to speak, doing her best to not speak until he does so.

"I don't want to hurt you." Johnny voices as he meets her eyes. "I don't like the thought of hurting you, Elizabeth."

"You haven't hurt me."

"Not yet, maybe." he accepts. "But if you keep hiding from me, its only a matter of time before I do and I can't handle that."

"Johnny..."

"I told you what my conditions were to training you." Johnny says firmly. "If you can't hold to that, Elizabeth, I can't do this. Every time you flinch or tense up...I can't even put it into words what it does to me."

"I didn't think you noticed."

"I noticed."

"I'm sorry. I really thought I had a better handle on it." she says softly. "I swear, though, it has nothing to do with you. I trust you completely, Johnny. You believe me, don't you?"

"I believe that you want to trust me completely." Johnny counters. "I just don't believe you're there yet."

"Give me your hand." Elizabeth says firmly as she rises to her feet. "Come on."

"Elizabeth..."

"Just give me your hand, Johnny." Elizabeth states, smiling softly when he obliges her before tugging him to his feet. "If I didn't trust you, doing this wouldn't be possible. For someone I don't trust to touch me...its unthinkable. Am I flinching now? Am I tensing up now?"

"No, but..."

"Hug me."

"Elizabeth..."

"I need you to believe me when I say that I trust you." Elizabeth says seriously. "If you can hug me without making me flinch or tense up, you'll have to believe me when I say that I trust you."

Taking a deep breath, Johnny obliges her and pulls her into a warm embrace, letting out a deep breath when she wraps her arms around him without hesitation, even hugging him snugly against her. Allowing a soft smile to touch his lips, he gives her one brief squeeze before releasing his hold on her and stepping out of her embrace.

"What happens while we're training isn't about you, Johnny." Elizabeth says wholeheartedly. "Its about the situations I'm being placed in. As hard as its probably going to get, we both know that I need to overcome it and eventually I will. I know I will."

"Okay." he says after a moment. "But you have to stop trying to hide it from me."

"I promise." she assures. "It was wrong to try to hide it, I know that now, and it won't happen again."

"Okay." he says simply. "Lets pick up where we left off."

For the next few hours, the two go over what they have done so far, hoping to have everything down pat before they move on to the next step in their training. Elizabeth did her best to not get worked up while they were going over the steps, but it still happened. He'd grab her a certain way and she'll tense up or she'll flinch away from his grasp.

When that happens, Johnny'll give her a moment to get control of it before they go at it again. The more they did it, the less she seemed to flinch, and that gave him hope for their training. It still hurt to have her flinch or tense up, but he knows that its something he has to come to terms with.

Until Elizabeth can truly trust in herself and know that she doesn't have a reason to be afraid anymore, its only bound to get worse before it gets better. He just has to remember that he's not the one she's afraid of and hopefully that'll keep the hurt he feels at bay.

"Have you made a decision about the other thing we discussed?" Johnny questions as they get a drink of water. "We'd start out slow, like the defense training, if it'll be easier for you."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of using a gun on someone."

"I know, but it'll go a long way to keeping you alive." Johnny points out. "How about we start training and once you have the skills to use one correctly, you can decide on whether or not you want to carry one?"

"Okay." she shakes her head as she places her glass into the sink. "That I can agree on."

"Good." he smiles slightly. "I'll reserve a slot for us at the shooting range."

"Okay."

"Anyway, I should get going." Johnny says as he grabs his jacket from the couch. "I have to do something for Sonny tonight, so, Marco will be the one to relieve Francis at midnight."

"Okay." she replies as she walks him to the door. "And Johnny?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for not ending our training." Elizabeth says as he pulls open the door. "I know its not easy for you..."

"As long as it keeps you safe in the end, it'll be worth it." he assures, leaning over to place a soft kiss upon her forehead. "Get some sleep. We'll use your day off tomorrow to get into more complicated moves."

"Sounds like a plan." she says with a soft smile. "Goodnight, Johnny."

"Sweet dreams, Elizabeth." he says as he meets her eyes for a moment. "Don't forget to lock the door."

"Deadbolt too." she replies. "I know."

"Okay."

Ignoring the look on Francis's face, Johnny stands by the door until he hears the locks click into place, giving his friend the nod before leaving. His friend didn't have to say anything, he knows exactly what he's thinking and he couldn't exactly deny it anymore than he already has.

As much as he's trying to stop it from happening, Johnny can't help the feelings that are building within him. Elizabeth is someone he never saw coming. When he agreed to guard her, he never expected to start having feelings for her, not in the least.

The more he learns about it, the more he finds himself falling further and further, not entirely certain he wants to keep fighting it anymore, but knowing that it was something he had to do. Elizabeth's going through enough without having to add his growing feelings atop of it.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Johnny places his focus on the task ahead of him, needing to get it done before he can go back to worrying about his personal life. The job has to have his complete focus while he's in the middle of it or he can forget about what the future holds because he won't have a future. Calling Sonny to let him know he's on his way to handle the job, Johnny slides into his vehicle before driving off, leaving his personal life on the sidelines until tomorrow, hoping he'll have a better handle on it by then.

**Note:** _Thank you to everyone that has followed/favorite my story after the second chapter. An extra huge thank you to those that have reviewed. I know that couples outside of those portrayed on the screen aren't exactly welcomed as favorably as those that are canon, but I appreciate that you're all willing to give my little fic a chance. I'm going to be using a good amount of events from the original storyline, Lucky coming back to life (events will be different than on tv) and Jason coming back. Hopefully I can play it out like I'm picturing it right now because I can't wait to write how they handle Lucky coming back to life and then Jason shortly after that. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. Thank you._


	4. (4)

**(0)(0)**  
**(o.O) ****_Lounging Bunny (c) Productions Presents  
_****(("")("")**

**(4)**

_~ . ~  
Love me without restriction, _  
_Trust me without fear, _  
_Want me without demand, _  
_Accept me for who I am."  
_~.~

Sonny hated nothing more than when his enemies suddenly drop off the face of the earth without a single trace tying them to anything. Sorel, while not a bright man, still had the ties to stay hidden until he's prepared to make his move and that didn't sit well with Sonny at all. With the guards doubled up on Michael and Carly, he now had to take the same precautions with Elizabeth's security detail, hoping that it'll be enough to keep her safe.

As much as he would hate it, he knows that a trip to the island is in his family's future, not wanting them to be touched by the violence. If it comes to that, he'll give Elizabeth the same option, but something tells him it'll take more effort to convince Elizabeth than it would to convince Carly and that's saying something. For now, though, all his efforts will be placed into locating Sorel and putting an end to that threat once and for all.

"Come in." Sonny says when there's a knock at the door.

"Its done." Johnny informs his boss. "If that doesn't pull him out of his hole, I'm not sure what will."

"Okay." Sonny says simply. "When you relieve Francis, tell him to come straight here."

"Will do."

"Johnny?"

"Yeah, boss."

"This thing going on between you and Elizabeth..." Sonny holds his hand up to stop Johnny from speaking. "Don't bother denying it, I'm not blind."

"Okay."

"Its no secret, though he believes it is, that Jason has a thing for her." Sonny says firmly. "So, before you decide to cross a line you can't come back from, I suggest you really think about what it'll mean."

"Are you ordering me not to?" Johnny would never think to answer Sonny back, but he refuses to let his boss have any say in his personal life. "Because, with all due respect, boss, whatever happens between me and Elizabeth has nothing to do with your business, so, I don't have to answer to you in regard to it."

"Dully noted." Sonny says simply. "But that's not what I was doing. Jason cares about Elizabeth and I'm sure it goes both ways. All I'm saying is for you to be certain about your intentions before you start something with her because it won't be me you'll be answering to. It'll be Jason."

"In all honesty, boss, I'm not sure what's going on between us, but if by some stroke of luck Elizabeth does decide I'm worth a chance, you can be damn sure I won't let anyone get in the way of that." Johnny says sternly. "Not even Jason."

Watching him practically storm out of the penthouse, Sonny couldn't help the slight smirk that touches his lips, knowing that he pretty much just declared his intentions loud and clear for him to hear. Its a good thing that Johnny has a strong backbone because he'll be needing it when Jason gets back to town.

Regardless of his finality in leaving, Sonny knows for a fact that its only a matter of time before Jason makes his way back to town and looks up his pretty little artist friend. When that happens, Johnny's going to need a hell of a lot more than his backbone to face up to Jason, that much he's sure of.

~ . ~

Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure why Johnny wanted her to meet him at the water park, since they were supposed to be training at Sonny's gym today before heading to the firing range for another gun lesson, but there she is none the less, waiting for him to arrive from his meeting with Sonny.

Last night was the eighth time that Marco stood at the door instead of Johnny and she couldn't help but miss him whenever that happens. She knows that he's doing what he has to in order to make her safe again, but that didn't stop her from missing him. If she were being honest, she'd be able to admit to the changes happening between them, but she's not confident enough to admit that just yet.

"Hey." Elizabeth says when Johnny finally shows up, saving her from giving her feelings much more thought. "Why did you want me to meet you here?"

"Why else?" Johnny shrugs, gesturing to his swim clothes. "To have fun."

"Fun?" Elizabeth almost forgot the meaning of the word. "But don't we need to train?"

"You've been doing great, Elizabeth, but even you need a break." Johnny says simply. "So, just for today, we are going to drop talk of training and just have some fun. What do you say?"

"I say...tag." she says, tapping her finger on his nose as a playful smile touches her lips. "You're it."

"Oh, you're on." Johnny says as she runs away from him. "I'm going to catch you."

"You wish." she yells back to him, turning into the ladies' room with her bag. "See you at the entrance to the lazy river?"

"I'll be there." he assures, laughing as she smiles brightly. "To be continued?"

"To be continued."

Getting changed as quickly as she can manage, Elizabeth walks out of the ladies' room in short board shorts and a bikini top before heading over to the spot she's supposed to meet Johnny at. Getting there, she finds him with one of those floating rings that seated two, knowing that it was mostly a security measure, but unable to stop the butterflies that began to flutter within her. Taking a deep breath, she walks over to him, taking hold of his hand as he helps her onto her side.

"Thank you for thinking of this." she says softly as he relaxes into his side. "It'll be a nice change of pace."

"Everyone needs a little fun in their lives." Johnny says simply as they start to float down the lazy river. "When we get to the end, where would you like to go next?"

"I've always wanted to try out their main attraction." Elizabeth admits. "I've always been too scared to do it alone. Do you think you'd want to go together?"

"Sure." Johnny agrees. "But only if you go by yourself afterwards."

"I see what you did there." Elizabeth eyes him suspiciously. "Always trying to get me to believe in myself."

"Just want you to see what I see." Johnny says as he takes her hand in his. "Deal?"

"Okay." she says, glancing down at their joined hands before meeting his eyes. "Deal."

Laying back against the floater, Elizabeth lets out a deep breath, closing her eyes as they drift along the lazy river. While she relaxes, Johnny can't help but watch her, knowing that this would probably be the last time they're out in the open, vulnerable, for a while. With all the steps being taken to force Sorel out of hiding, they'll need to keep Elizabeth under lock and key until its over. Today, however, is a day for relaxation and fun.

Glancing down at their joined hands, Johnny knows he should break the connection, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He thought that she would eventually release her hold on him, but half way through the lazy river and her fingers are still intertwined with his. Seeing her so relaxed, holding his hand, Johnny couldn't help but wonder if there really was a chance for him with her. He couldn't see what he could possible offer her that Jason or anyone else couldn't, but that didn't stop him from hoping that maybe, just maybe, he might actually stand a chance.

~ . ~

Getting the call from Luke that they were heading into the facility, Emily couldn't help but feel anxious, hoping against hope that they find Lucky locked away in that facility. More than anything, she wants her friend to be alive, the rest could wait until they had him back in Port Charles and away from the crazy people that kidnapped him. Glancing over at Nikolas, she could see that he wasn't happy about being left behind, but she knows that its for the best. The priority of today is getting Lucky back. That's it.

"Hey." she says softly as she sits beside him. "You hungry? I can make us some sandwiches."

"No." he sighs, shaking his head before taking her hand into his. "I just need this to be over and for Lucky to come back to us."

"I know." she replies, wrapping one arm around him in a slight hug, wishing the same. "They'll get him out of there. I know they will."

"Thank you for being here with me." Nikolas says as he leans into her embrace. "I don't think I could have made it this far without you."

"There's nowhere I'd rather be." she assures him. "I'm with you to the end."

~ . ~

Standing at the top of the most frightening slide she has ever seen, Elizabeth takes a deep breath, squeezing Johnny's hand that's still in hers. They've gone down together already and now it was her turn to go down by herself. It had been scary, but doable with Johnny's arms around her on the way down. Mostly because her mind was more on Johnny and his amazingly built body than on the slide itself. Thanks to being distracted, she isn't entirely certain she can go down on her own this time around, but that was the deal. They go together and then she does it alone.

"If I die, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life." Elizabeth says as she stares down at the slide, knowing he'll be going first. "Okay?"

"You're not going to die." he says softly. "I'll be waiting for you at the bottom."

"Johnny..."

"You're going to be fine." he promises, leaning in to place a soft kiss upon her forehead. "See you at the bottom."

Hesitantly releasing her hold on him, Elizabeth watches as he gets into position before sliding out of sight, sending a new level of fear to surge through her. Glancing around her, she does her best to remain calm, knowing that Johnny wouldn't have left her if he believed she'd be in danger on her own.

Taking a deep breath, she does as she's instructed by the park employee and gets into position to slide down once the guy tells her its safe for her to go. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Elizabeth takes another deep breath before forcing herself down the slide, finding herself screaming the whole way down, but not out of fear.

"I did it!" she exclaims as she throws her arms around Johnny once she gets to him. "I actually did it!"

"Yes, you did." he smiles brightly, holding her in his arms as they slowly move to the safe zone. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." she says wholeheartedly. "Thank you for believing in me."

Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through her body or maybe it was something else entirely, but - before she knew it - Elizabeth found herself claiming his lips as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The shock that overcame Johnny wasn't hard to see or feel, but it didn't take long for him to shake it off and pull her even closer to him as they floated in the water. Eyes closed, the two get lost in the moment together, knowingly and willingly crossing the line that they know all too well isn't one easily reversed.

"Are you sure?" Johnny forces himself to ask as he pulls away, not wanting any misunderstanding between them. "If this is an in the moment kind of thing..."

"I'm sure." she says without hesitation. "I've wanted to kiss you for days now."

"Okay." he lets out a breath of relief, knowing that she had felt what he was feeling for a while now. "Me, too."

"Good." she says with a slight smirk. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, I guess we probably should." he says with a sigh. "There are some changes that we need to discuss."

"Because we kissed?"

"No, not because of that." he assures. "These are changes that Sonny made before we came here."

"Oh, okay." she says as he helps her out of the water and guides her to the ladies' room. "But after..."

"We'll talk about us." he says with a soft smile. "Okay?"

"Okay." she smiles brightly. "So...to be continued?"

"To be continued."

**Note:** _I know it tends to grow redundant, but THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the reviews, favorites, and follows! It always makes my day to get your reviews and read about what you thought of the update. I hope to see more reviews as the story progresses. It means a lot that you all are taking the time to read and share your thoughts with me. Can't wait to get started on the next chapter._


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